Design Challenge With Adafruit GEMMA And Hats

Element14 and Adafruit just launched a global design challenge to turn a hat into a wearable item that is interesting and useful using the Adafruit GEMMA and an accessory pack from Adafruit."

PCBdesign007 gives this overview of the "Hats Off" Challenge:

"Participants will re-imagine the hat into new wearable technology solutions that provide real-world functionality using the Adafruit GEMMA...The Adafruit GEMMA is a tiny Arduino-compatible sewable microcontroller...Competitors will be encouraged to develop hat-like garments that provide functionality beyond shielding the wearer from sun or rain...The recruitment period, which starts today, will conclude August 4. A total of 10 competitors will be selected to build their designs and blog at the element14 design community, addressing their ideas and key challenges throughout the process. The competition will conclude October 31, 2014. Competitors will be judged on their creativity, quality of documentation and the execution of their project. The grand prize winner will receive an Oculus Rift from element14 and one complete FLORA Collection parts pack from Adafruit."

Element14 says:

Adafruit GEMMA

"Ten RoadTest challenge competitors will build electronics projects designed to be worn on the head using the Adafruit GEMMA sensor pack. Dress up like the ship in Close Encounters with flashing LEDs and simple tones, make a sparkling digital princess tiara for prom, stitch a VU meter baseball cap...We are looking for projects that stretch the tech as well as the craft of wearables....each competitor will be provided with a GEMMA Sensor Pack:

• Adafruit Micro Lipo - USB LiIon/LiPoly charger - v1

• Lithium Ion Polymer Battery - 3.7v 500mAh

• Four Flora RGB NeoPixels V2

• Stainless Thin Conductive Thread - 2 ply - 25 meter/85 ft

• Photo cell (CdS photoresistor)

• Small Alligator Clip Test Lead (set of 12)

• GEMMA miniature wearable electronic platform

• USB cable - A/MiniB - 3ft

• Tactile On/Off Switch with Leads

• Fast Vibration Sensor Switch (Easy to trigger)

• Small Enclosed Piezo w/Wires"

GEMMA sensor pack

There are an increasing number of design challenges or competitions these days for microcontrollers (MCUs). One of my goals is to compile a list of competitions or challenges for MCU projects and get a few other people from the Humboldt microcontrollers community to collaborate with on submissions to one of these competitions. As we get into more advanced topics at the biweekly meetings, we can discuss those topics with respect to how they could be used in one or more of the current competitions. If the "Hats Off" competition sounds fun, sign up today!

I've got info about a couple more competitions and hope to put together a post this weekend with a list of competitions of which I'm aware. If you know of any MCU-related contests that are coming up or are still open to new participants, please send me an email at arcatabob (at) gmail {dott} com.

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